In co-pending application Ser. No. 174,916 filed Aug. 4, 1980, entitled "Fuel Heater for Diesel Engines," there is described an arrangement for heating the fuel for diesel engines to prevent the fuel filter from becoming clogged with wax crystals which form in the fuel at low ambient temperatures. The heater arrangement described in the above-identified application utilizes an electric heater surrounding the fuel line which heats the fuel as it moves through the fuel line. By warming the fuel, the wax crystals are caused to go back into solution and thereby pass through the fuel filter. However, the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of the fuel sufficiently above ambient temperature to dissolve the wax in the fuel is quite substantial. This may place a severe strain on the capacity of the electrical system at a time when low ambient temperature conditions also reduce the capacity of the battery.